I will not loot Kwara’s treasury – Gov-elect, Abdulrazaq

Kwara Governor-elect, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has pledged that his administration will be accountable to the people and will not steal or loot the state’s treasury.

Abdulrazaq made the pledge at a media briefing on Sunday night in Ilorin where he delivered his acceptance speech amidst All Progressive Congress party supporters.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports the event was attended by Mr. Kayode Alabi, Kwara Deputy Governor-elect, Alhaji Lai Mohammed the Minister of Information and Culture and Bashir Bolarinwa, the Kwara APC Chairman, among others.

The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Abdulrazaq of APC winner of the Saturday governorship election in Kwara having polled a total of 331,546 votes to defeat Abdulrazaq Atunwa of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 114,754 votes.

APC also won all the 24 seats in the Kwara House of Assembly.

Abdulrazaq said that with the APC winning over 70 per cent of the votes cast in the elections, Kwarans had spoken and the incoming administration could not afford to fail the people.

“Kwara people have decided and that has put a lot of responsibilities on us. We cannot afford to fail and we cannot afford to steal and loot the treasury.

“God forbid that after three years, people will regret that why did they vote this new government. I can assure you that will not happen.

“We will work tirelessly as a team to deliver and make sure people start feeling the effects of government and dividends of democracy,’’ he said.

He decried the situation where previous administrations had mismanaged and stolen the resources of the state to the detriment of the majority of the citizens.

The governor-elect said that his administration would interface with the people across the three senatorial zones of the state from bottom to top and ensure that the people determine what government would do for them.

He said his government would be people-oriented because it was the first time since 1999 that Kwara peoples’ votes were counted and their will came to pass.

Abdulrazaq said that in line with the party manifesto, his administration would place priority attention to security, agriculture, education and infrastructure development.

He noted that the state had become so insecure to the extent that banking operations had been suspended in the entire Kwara South senatorial zone, after the Offa robbery saga,

“This development is seriously affecting the economic development in the zone. We will interface with the Police to address the challenge of insecurity

“The Offa robbery where 33 people were killed, based on police investigation was linked to top government officials.

“We will also interface with the Police to ensure that the judicial process is logically concluded and perpetrators are brought to book,’’ he said.

Abdulrazaq said Kwara being an agrarian state, his administration would pay attention to farming and agro-processing.

Specifically, he said the state would among other crops, increase cashew production and processing for export to create employment and increase internally generated revenue..

The governor-elect lamented the poor state of infrastructure in public schools in the state as well as non-payment of salaries of teachers and other civil servants, and assured to reverse the trend.

“We will set up a transition committee that will interface with the government and we will have a forensic audit of the paying system to formulate new policies.

“We will organise health care summit. Education summit and special summit on how to improve the state infrastructure,’’ he said.

Abdulrazaq reassured the traditional institution in the state that, contrary to the news making the round, his administration will not demote any traditional ruler but will work with them and count on their useful advice